Telephone index stand



TELEPHONE INDEX STAND Filed March 17, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 c m fldv.

TELEPHONE IXLDEX STAND Filed March 17, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 PatentedOct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES TELEPHONE INDEX STAND Fred A. Pettis,Buffalo, N. Y.,

assignor to Remington Rand Ina, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,354

4 Claims.

. This invention relates to index devices of the type wherein a seriesof index holders are hinged to swing on a support so that they may bereadily manipulated to inspect the index or other data on the indexholders, or to remove one or more of the holders.

tain novel features to be hereinafter described, is

" illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

.Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the device with several of the indexholders removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device with parts shown inelevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryv vertical sectional view on an enlarged scaleshowing one of the index holders being removed;

Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3 withportions of the strip broken away; and i Fig. 5 is an enlargedfragmentary perspective view of one of the spacers for the index holdersbefore insertion in the device.

Referring to the drawings a standard having .a supporting base 1 isprovided with an upstanding central post 2 upon which a. pair ofsupporting members 3 and 4 are rotatably mounted in superposed relation.The supports 3 and 4 each have an upper hub 5 and an oppositely disposedlower hub 6 connected by a tubular spacer '7 freely rotatable about post2, (Figs. 2-and 3). The supports 3 and 4 are of like construction and adescription of one will sufiice for both.

The upper hub 5 is formed with anupwardly opening annular recess 9confined by an annular wall 10 having a peripheral flange 11. The lowerface of the peripheral flange 11 is provided with an annular groove 12adjacent wall 10. The oppositely disposed lower hub 6 is similar to hub5, corresponding parts thereof being designated by the referencecharacters 9, 10, 11 and 12.

The groove 12 is divided into a continuous series of downwardly openingvertical recesses 13 by the transversely corrugated face of a deformed.strip member or insert 14 mounted in groove '12 by press-fitting or thelike, (Fig. 4). The groove 7 12 is likewise divided into upwardlyopening recesses 13' by a similar strip member 14' mounted in groove 12'in the above described manner. The stripmember 14. is of greater depththan strip member 14 as groove 12 is of greater depth than groove 12 sothat each strip member projects beyond its groove substantially the samedistance and provides a visible portion for a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed, (Fig. 1)

The strip members 14 and 14' are preferably formed of sheet metal stripstransversely corrugated so that the outer faces present a continuousseries of vertical relatively narrow ridges 15 and 15 and relativelywide grooves lfiand 16 respectively, (see Fig. 4). The ridges 15 andgrooves 16 of strip member 14 cooperate with the outer walls of groove12 to define the'recesses 13 and the recesses 13' are likewise definedby the ridges 15' and grooves 16 of strip members 14 cooperating withgroove 12. In assembling the invention, grooves 16 are verticallyaligned with the grooves 16 by rotating hub 5 with respect to hub 6until said grooves are aligned. This alignment is maintained as byscrews 1'7 which pass through the hubs'and engage the tubular spacer '7.

Certain of the vertically, aligned grooves 16 and 16 are provided withvertically aligned visible indicating or signal portions 18 and 18'respectively which visably sectionalize the grooves into small groups sothat an operator may locate any pair of vertically aligned grooves bysimply starting from a pair of the vertically aligned signals andcounting off in the same direction the same number of, grooves on eachstrip member. While the signal portions may be on the strip members 14and'14 and of a contrasting shade or color as-shown in Fig. 5, it shouldbe understood'however, that innumerable forms of 'sectionalizing signalsmay be used.

The index supports 3 and 4 are rotatable on the post 2 independently ofeach other and for this purpose the lower support 4 is rotatably mountedon the lower portion of post 2 upon an anti-friction bearing 19,disposed between support 4 and a boss 20 formed centrally of the base 1.The upper index support 3 is spaced from the lower support 4 and issimilarly mounted. on the intermediate portion of post 2 upon ananti-friction bearing 21 disposed within the recess 9' of support 3 andupon an annular ring 22.

A split ring 23 is mounted in a groove 24 formed a washer 50.

The upper end of the shaft 2 projects slightly into the recess 9 of theupper hub 5 and is adapted to receive the threaded lower end of a shortpost 26 of the same diameter. A washer 27 is mounted between posts 2 and26 being secured therebetween by the threaded end of post 26 and is of asize to overlie a portion of the hub 5, thus preventing upward movementof the support 3, (see Figs. 2 and 3).

The index holders 30 are in the form of rectangular panels 31 themarginal edges of which are provided with narrow U-shaped reinforcingstrips 32, 33, 34 and 35. The inwardly extending edges of the verticalstrips 34 and 35 are offset throughout their length to provide verticalopposed channels 36 that receive the ends of a series of index slips 3'?having suitable data inscribed thereon. A wire is mounted in each of thestrips 35 with the ends thereof projecting to form a relatively longpintle or bearing portion 38 and a relatively short pintle or bearingportion 39 by means of which the index holders are mounted on thesupports.

Due to the face-to-face position of the index holders when mounted theindex slips are normally more or less concealed. In order to facilitatelocating any of the concealed index strips each holder is provided withan index tab 40 which is staggered with respect to the other tabs sothat they are readable from either side.

In order to prevent accidental displacement of the index holders fromthe supports, retaining means 41 and 41' are provided. The means 41comprises a cap 42 which is mounted on the hub 5 of support 3 and isformed with an annular" depending flange 43 that extends beyond thegrooved face of flange 11 into proximity to the upper edge of holders 30so that pintles 38 thereof cannot be removed from the recesses 13without displacing the cap. A depending spring supporting cup 45 formedwith an outwardly extending annular flange 45 and a central opening 47in its bottom portion is slidably mounted on post 26. The cup 45 ismounted in a central opening 48 of cap 41 with the flange 46 engagingthe upper face of cap i1.v A coil spring 49 is mounted in cup 45 aroundpost 26 and is held under compression by The washer 50is mounted to post26 by the threaded portion of a member 51 which is formed with a generalindex portion 52. The retaining means 41 is of like construction thecorresponding parts being designated by the reference characters 42, 43,45, 46', 47, 48249 and 50.

An anti-friction ,bearing53 is interposed between the movable washer 50and the stationary ring 22 to prevent friction between the parts and forthe same purpose a similar bearing may be interposed between Washer 50and member 51.

When the invention is in use it is desirable that the data on the indexholders be kept up to date. In practice it has been found advantageousto remove the index holders that require new data from the supports, andthis is accomplished in the following manner. The index holder to beremoved is first moved upwardly from the position depicted inl ig. 2,until the upper edge 32 thereof abuts the lower edge of the peripheralflange 11. t this time the pintle 39 is above the upper surface of theperipheral flange 11', (see Fig. 3). In the second movement, which isoutward, the pintle 39 of the index holder clears the peripheral flange11, (see Fig. 3) and a final downward movement withdraws the pintle 33from groove 11 so that the index holder is free or detached. During thefirst movement of the holder the cap 42 has been moved upwardly againstthe tension of spring 49 which tends to return the cap to its normalposition, (see Fig. 3) and during the final movement the cap returns toits normal position. All of the index holders may be removed in theabove described manner.

After the data has been changed the index holder or holders, as the casemay be, are ready to be reattached to the support.

In reattaching the index holders to the support it is essential thatthey be attached with the-pintles thereof in a vertically aligned pairof recesses, but of course when the index panel to be reattached isimmediately between adjacent index holders no difiiculty in aligning theholders is encountered as there is only one pair of aligned recesses forthe pintles to fit in. However, when all, or quite a few of the indexholders are to be reattached, it then becomes quite difficult to insertthe pintles of the index holders in the proper pairs of aligned recessesand it is to overcome'this difficulty, that the sectionalizing signalportions are provided on the visible portions of the strip members.Assuming that all the index holders are removed, reattachment is made inthe following manner: One of the upper signals, of a section is selectedand the pintle 38 of an index holder inserted in the adjacent recess 13.The holderis moved upwardly until the upper edge abuts the lower edge ofperipheral flange 11 (see Fig. 3); In this position the lower pintle 39,is above peripheral flange 11' and may be moved inwardly until it abutsthe vertically aligned lower signal of that section.

The pintle 39 is engaged in the recess 13' adjacent the lower signal bymoving the holder downward until the pintle 39 abuts the bottom ofrecess.13; At this time upper pintle 38 extends into the selectedrecessl3 a distance substantially equal to the difference of its length,over that of pintle 39' so that the index holder is now swingablymounted on the supports and cannot be removed without being movedupwardly. A holder is now attached in each of the recesses marked by asignal so that the grooves are divided into sections defined by theattached holders.

, By simplystarting from a pair of the vertically aligned'groovesdefined by the attached holders and countingoif in the same directionthe same number of grooves on the visible portion of each strip member,the holders intermediate the at tached holders may be attached invertical alignment in a manner described above.

A During the attachment of each index holder the cap 42 ismoved upwardlyagainst the tension of spring 49, and when the holder is fullyattached'returns to its normal position in which the flange 43 lies inproximity to the upper edge of the holders. The relation of the flange43 to the holder and the tension of spring 49 is such,

rality of index holders detachably engaged in said grooves, a movablecap having a central portion mounted on said standard and having aflange surrounding a portion of one of said support members, andresilient means mounted on the standard operably engaging the centralportion of said cap for normally maintaining said cap in position toretain said panels against accidental displacement.

2. In an index the combination of a standard, spaced supporting membersrotatably mounted thereon and having grooves in the opposed facesthereof, a plurality of index holders having bearing portions detachablyengaging said grooves, a movable cap formed with a flange portion, a cupengaging said standard and the central portion of said cap for normallyretaining said cap in position to prevent detachment of the indexholders from said supporting members.

3. In an index the combination of a standard, spaced supporting membersrotatably mounted thereon and having grooves in the opposed facesthereof, a plurality of index holders having bearing portions detachablyengaging said grooves,

a cap movably mounted on one of said supporting members and encirclingsaid standard, said cap being formed to extend beyond said supportingmember and prevent detachment of said index holders in one positionthereof, and resilient actuating means on said standard engaging saidcap adjacent said standard for normally retaining said cap in saidposition.

4. In an index the combination of a fixed standard, spaced supportingmembers rotatably mounted thereon and having grooves in the opposedfaces thereof, a plurality of index holders having bearing portionsdetachably engaging said grooves, a spring actuated index holderretaining means engaging one of said supporting members and rotatabletherewith, and an anti-friction bearing mounted between said rotatableretaining means and said fixed shaft to prevent friction between saidrotatable retaining means and said fixed standard.

FRED A. PETTIS.

